Mary Maude Hackman, a resident of Beacon Hill in Lombard, Illinois, passed away on Saturday, April 11, 2026.

Born August 9, 1935, she was the oldest of three children of Anne and Herbert Hackman. Mary graduated from Glenbard High School in 1953 and from the College of DuPage in 1978. She received her B.A. and M.S. degrees from National College of Education in 1980 and 1983 respectively.

As a junior high student Mary attended a Pioneer Girls Club. Her pastor’s daughter, Eunice Russell, urged her to attend the local Pioneer Girls Camp Cherith. She couldn't have imagined the impact this decision would have on her entire life. It was Eunice who later suggested that Mary join the office staff of the organization. She began in the mailing department, working on an address-o-graph machine.

In her memoir, Glimpses of My Life Journey, Louise Troup, the Executive Director at the time, recalls the occasion when 21-year-old Mary accompanied her to an exhibit of office equipment at a convention at McCormick Place in Chicago.

“Mary said to me, ‘If you buy me one of these dictaphones, I’ll be your secretary.’ She was teasing, but it made me think. We moved Mary out of the mailing department, and in the years that followed she went up the developmental ladder. When she retired at age 65 she was Senior Vice President of the organization. She directed our camp in Missouri and was the liaison between the Board and the President. She also led the camping program and our work in Canada.”

The Winter 2000 issue of Perspective summarized her career. “Mary became Senior Vice President on December 1, 1985. In that capacity she oversaw the Camp Cherith arm of Pioneer Clubs, served as corporate secretary for the board of directors, supervised business and finance operations, administered personnel functions, conducted in-service training, and maintained the legal aspects of the corporation.”

At her retirement celebration after 44 years of service with Pioneer Clubs, Mary announced that she was looking forward to more traveling and an increased involvement in the First Presbyterian Church of Glen Ellyn, where she was serving as a Deacon. “I'm looking at other possibilities for volunteer work,” she said. She found those possibilities through service as an Elder and Church Clerk, and through 20 annual summer trips to the Fort Peck Indian Reservation to conduct VBS. A major part of her volunteering involved helping Camp Cherith Camps make the transition into the Association of Cedarbrook Camps, where she served on the Board of Directors. She and Sara Robertson put many miles on their camper as they traveled coast to coast to camps, where Mary was particularly helpful in setting up nature programs.

When she “retired” again at the Annual Conference of the Association, each participant from the member camps gave her a camp T-shirt and a written thank-you acknowledging her many contributions. Those fifteen shirts were an integral part of her wardrobe for years to come.

One example of appreciation came from Kathy Hall of Cedarbrook of Ohio.

Dearest Mary,

How I respect and admire you . . . I love your passion for God’s creation, and your desire that knowledge of nature be passed on to the next generation.

You listen well, and when you speak, it is important for the rest of us to listen, because your words are wise. My prayer is to welcome and listen to others as you do, to keep sharing the joy of nature and listen well and speak words of wisdom. Thank you for your example in word and deed.

Mary’s 1975 job evaluation from Louise Troup captured her management skills completely.

“Mary is an unusual person . . . She provides stability for the organization because of her ability to listen to people, meet with other managers, and work through problems in a quiet, confident, unruffled manner.

Mary does a beautiful job of working with people, giving them confidence and leadership within their own area of responsibility.

Mary is the hub of the organization; her character, integrity, stability, and sensitivity to people hold things together.”

She is survived by her sister-in-law, Melody Hackman; her niece, Julie Hackman Esparza, (Cesar); her grandnieces Juliette Esparza and Wendy Esparza; her nephew, James Hackman; and her grandnieces Emma and Anna Hackman. She was predeceased by her brother John and grandnephew, Eddie Hackman. She is also survived by her brother, Gene Hackman, by numerous cousins, and by her best friend of sixty-five years, Sara Robertson.

A service of worship and remembrance will be held on May 23, 2026 at 2:00pm at First Presbyterian Church of Glen Ellyn.

Memorial gifts may be directed to the First Presbyterian Church of Glen Ellyn, the Young Men’s Educational Network, PO Box 23410, Chicago, IL 60623, or the Cedarbrook Camp of your choice.